My change in attitude greatly affected my way of doing things and such. No longer did I sulk in the shadows when someone threatening came by, I stood with my head high and eyes proud. I may have seemed stand-offish, but only the people who were rude enough to care noticed.

Now, as I lay in my bed after a hard day of frustration and gossip, I thought about all of this, wondering what I had come to, trying to hook this world's savage, arrogant King into falling for me, then changing the way things were ran around here. It was crazy, and scary, to me in particular. Was I really sure I wanted to do this? How would I do it? I was just stepping into this whole thing blindly, and what did *I* know about all these problems that were so threatening? How did I know that they would even happen? I didn't, but I had been chosen for the job. Me. The 'human one', the one who had been taken here to be trained as a slave, but due to an uncanny friendship, had been spared, whilst all the others had been sentenced to the fate that I deserved.

My eyes filled up. They had all suffered because of me, really. If I hadn't been such a coward as to take the easy way out, I would have been with them, and we could have suffered our fates together. But that destiny wasn't mine. If it was, I would be doing that right now, instead of filling in favors from dead Queens and stuff. I laughed quietly at the irony of my regretting not being a slave when happiness was within reach, and had been mine. I felt really twisted, and wrapped my arms around myself, as if protecting myself from the basic evil of it all.

The night went on unpeacefully, nightmares taking over my dreams, and my body soaked with sweat. It was what I defined hell as from that moment. I felt guilty, happy, sad, and angry at the same time. Was it even possible? The emotions were all so different, how could they be natural?!

I rolled over onto my stomach and clenched my hands together, fighting off the pain and feelings that threatened to overtake me, driving myself into a crazed, hungover wreck I was going to be at least by the next morning.

-*-

My hair was tightly matted to my head and back. My eyes were blurry and tired, as well as my body. I felt like I had been engaged in a full out battle all day, with no breaks. Only a freezing cold shower could cure such physical agony as this.

I stumbled into the bathroom, blindly. I pressed in the controls to make the water cold and bitter. I stripped off my clothes, leaving them in a sweaty heap on the marble floor. The icy water beat down on my back, and I sighed in pleasure. The sweat and sleep washed away, and I felt like a whole new person. I sat down on the floor of the stall, and let the water run down through my hair to my thighs, and running down to my feet into the drain.

I must have fell asleep, because when I opened my eyes, the light from the window was brighter, and it just felt later. The water was like ice *itself* by now, and I shivered violently as I stepped out into the warmer air of the bathroom. The last thing I wanted to do was get dressed and eat, but I knew that I had to, or else risk 'Her Highness' coming out all pissed at me. I shook my head and saw that my clothes were soaking wet, as well as most of the floor. I had been halfway sitting on the drain, so I blamed myself and went to get dressed.

My closet was full of clothes, but I couldn't seem to find anything to wear. As I usually found myself doing the last couple of days, I looked in my still-unpacked bag of Earth clothes. I was adjusting my tight, pale blue spaghetti-strapped shirt, one that had ties up both sides and the neckline, and in the process of sliding on the wrap-around white skirt, one that also had ties, ones that were both up the sides and in front, when I heard something from outside, in the hallway.

I stopped and froze, in the process of tying up my skirt. It sounded like someone trying to sneak their way into my room! I put a hand to my mouth, scared, and backed onto my bed. My still wet and unbrushed mane of blue curls slapped my back as I ducked behind the side away from the door, allowing myself a good view of the door so I could see who it was. I felt my heart pounding, and my hair dripped cold water to match the beat.

The doorknob moved slowly, as if the person was making sure to not disturb me, probably thinking that I was still asleep! I checked my clock across the room, and saw that indeed, it was early. About six-thirty in the morning, to be exact! I nearly gasped at my twisted timing, and turned my focus back to the door. I prayed that it was a slave or something to clean, my skirt was not even done up yet, nor my shirt. I felt almost naked, with the skin exposed on my legs and my black bra on my shirt. I crossed my arms on my chest protectively, and shivered as I prayed.

The door opened, and I saw one of the head soldiers sneak in and close the doors behind him. I believed that his name was Nappa, and he wasn't hard to recognize, being bald and all. He was the one in the prison, I realized, or at least one of them. I understood that he was feared, for his merciless habits of torture and his high social status. Both of these factors got me wondering *why* he would be sneaking in *my* room.

My wet hair was soaking my shirt and making it plaster itself to my body, and I became very cold and uncomfortable as Nappa searched through my room, either for me or something else, finding neither one. I shivered and my teeth chattered, despite my desperate attempts to be silent. Nappa looked up at the tiny noise, and I silently cursed Saiyan senses. His brow furrowed and he looked in my direction. I wished that I could sink into the plushed maroon carpet, and I tightly squeezed my eyes shut as I prayed it.

When I opened them, Nappa was getting warmer, and he could tell also, as my teeth chattered not only from cold but from fear. He smirked, a playful one that sent shivers up and down my spine, and stopped walking.

"You can't hide forever, little one," He called, his smirk getting wider. "Not with Vegeta-sama looking for you, sweetling."

I glared at him, hate shining in my blue eyes. I hated him so much, I almost wished I could be Super Saiyan, just so *I* could smirk and blast him away, like I had seen Vegeta do countless times. I wrapped my arms around myself again, remembering my appearance. I didn't want to show *any* skin around *him*!

My mercy didn't last long, because soon he came to the bed and saw me. He smirked gleefully, and grabbed my arm as I swore my protests. He pulled me up and to the door, laughing a booming, evil laugh. I gritted my teeth, until he dragged me into the hall, where I screamed bloody murder.

"Shut up!" He yelled back, his ears pounding, was my guess.

"Let me *go*! Let me go or I'll-I'll-" My screams were cut off my his booming laughter.

"Yeah, you'll make me drop dead with your looks, sweetie, that is the most likely thing!" He shouted, and proceeded to drag me all the way to the throne room, where I screamed louder as the pain in my arms grew. "And by the way, I *love* your outfit..."

I screamed in fury and silently kicked myself for even *wearing* an outfit with so many ties. I knew that my bra was showing, and my skirt was probably just as efficent as a long loincloth! We entered the throne room, me struggling and him stumbling. My feet were bare and carpet burned, from his having to drag me the whole way.

Some nobles were waiting our arrival, as well as Vegeta, who stood as we entered the room. Whatever was going on, it was important, and involved a lucky few. They shook their head as Nappa continued his jeers regarding my outfit. Apparently I wasn't the only one who disliked the perv!

He stopped in front of the throne Vegeta had been sitting in. Vegeta scowled as we stopped, and Nappa bowed. I refused to do such a thing, and stood my ground, rubbing my bright pink arms. My hair had succeeded in soaking my shirt, and I wrapped my arms around myself to provide a little cover. Vegeta shook his head at my disheveled appearance and glared at Nappa.

"You could have at least waited until she was *out* of the shower," He growled, and crossed his arms. "It is too late now. We must leave now!"

I glanced around, confused, as the nobles watched as the guards in the room, as well as Nappa and Vegeta, began to exit the room. Vegeta stopped next to me, and gave me a slightly sympthamatic look.

"I am sure that you won't be comfortable in your current state, but we have no choice," He said, a mischevious smirk filling his dark features, making his black eyes light up also. "But I must say, I like it also."

I nearly choked him as my cheeks flared, and my gaze resembled fire. I was ready to kill someone anyway, why not him?! I shook my head and he grabbed me by the arm, a little gentler than Nappa had been, to my small relief.

We exited the room, the nobles staring in slight amusement as I looked down, my cheeks burning. I had been exposed and embarrassed before them by their own monarch.

-*-

Ooooooohhh poor Bulma, I know I am so mean to the characters! They have tried to file several lawsuits before I pointed out in the 'Fanfic Characters Contract' that the author can torture them in any way they would like to. Teehee, ja ne for now! (But not for long!)